African countries need to show stronger political will to advance industrialisation, including the adoption of new policies to promote improved productivity and harness the potential of a growing youth population, delegates attending the 2023 African Economic Conference heard. The three-day conference opened in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Wednesday under the theme “Imperatives for Sustainable Industrial Development in Africa”. “Africans need to think African, produce African, and consume African to encourage indigenous industrial development in Africa,” he said. He highlighted the African Development Bank Group’s role, in collaboration with partners, in supporting Africa’s industrialisation and economic transformation process through its High 5 priority Industrialise Africa. He also welcomed the growing recognition of youth in development policies.

Source: Ethiopian News November 19, 2023 09:03 UTC